The Funeral of Wilfrid Montbleau

Published in The Lowell Sun, Wednesday, December 8, 1909, pg. 2.

MONTBLEAU--The funeral of Wilfrid Montbleau took place yesterday morning from his home, 449 Moody street, with funeral services at St. Jean Baptiste church. Rev. Fr. Magnan, O. M. I., officiated. The choir sang Perrault's mass. Dr. George E. Caisse directed and Arthur J. Martel played the organ. The bearers were Napoleon Daigle, Gedeon Lariviere, Antoine Mainville, Theophile Courtois, Aldemar Dube and Napoleon L'Heureux. Burial was in St. Joseph's cemetery, and Rev. Fr. Amyot, O. M. I. officiated at the grave. Undertaker Amedee Archambault had charge.


The deceased left a wife and two sons, Armand and Raphael; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Montbleau, three brothers, Adelard of LaPairie, Que., and Henry and Orphea of Lowell, and four sisters, Mrs. Napoleon Daigle, Mrs. Gedeon Lariviere, Mrs. Antoine Mainville and Mrs. Theophile Courtois, all of Lowell.

Wilfrid was the brother of Victoria Monbleau, wife of Theophile Courtois.

HENRY FERRON PAROLED

Published in The Lowell Sun, June 10th, 1919, pg. 2

Lowell Man Who Figured As Principal in Murder, Allowed His Freedom

Henri Ferron, of this city, who since 1910 has been condemned to the insane department of the state farm at Bridgewater for the murder of Flora Lariviere, which occurred in Hareford place, off marshall street on the evening of Jan. 26, 1910, was released yesterday afternoon after the charge of murder against him was placed on file by Justice Hugo A. Dubuque at the criminal session of the superior court in East Cambridge. Ferron spent last night in this city and this evening will leave for Massey Station, Ontario, Canada where he will live with his uncle and aunt.

Although very thin in appearance, Ferron is enjoying the best of health and says the treatment he received at the institution was most satisfactory. "I have lost at least 15 oounds during my incareration." he said, "but that was due to confinement for several years."

The mutilated body of Flora Lariviere, a married woman, was found on a mattress in the kitchen of her home at 3 Hareford place, off Marshall street on the morning of Jan. 26, 1910. A search was immediately started for Henri Ferron, who was known to have lived there, and had disappeared. A few weeks later word was recieved in this city that Ferron had been captured at St. Sebastion, Que., and Lowell officers went to Canada and returned with the prisioner. He did not fight extradition.

Ferron was kept under observation for a few days and finally was declared insane by two physicians and sent to the insane department of the state farm at Bridgewater. During his long stay at the farm Ferron was a model prisioner and won the confidence of the attendants and officials to such an extent that after five years he was given considerable freedom. He conducted a clothes cleaning and pressing deaprtment and in this manner was able to save enough money to care for his aged mother, up to the time of her death, which occured in this city, April, 15, 1917. During his spare time Ferron also learned the carving business.

About a year ago through the recommendations of his attendants Ferron was placed on parole and given more freedom than ever. He was transferred from the insane department to the farm and assisted in looking after the livestock. Through the efforts of Lawyer A. O. Hamel and Joseph Albert of this city, who became interested in the prisioner, a petition for his release was filed with the proper authorities and several hearings were held. Yesterday afternoon Ferron was taken to East Cambridge and appeared before Judge Dubuque at the criminal session of the superior court. By the terms of his parole Ferron is to go to Canada and live on a farm with relatives, an uncle and aunt. Dr. Frank H. Carlisle, medical director of the hospital, gave a written statement to the effect that Ferron had shown no traces of insanity and perfectly safe to be at large. Ferron is 32 years old.

This explains why I couldn't find him the 1920 census. He does, however, appear in the 1910 census at Bridgewater state hospital. Note that Joseph Albert had a hand in getting him released. Interesting...

Madness Monday: JUDGE BOND Sentenced Ferron to Insane Hospital at Bridgewater

Published in the Lowell Sun, Wednesday January 26th, 1910, pg. 4.

BOSTON, Jan 26 -- Henri Ferron of Lowell was yesterday judged to be insane at the time of the murder of Mrs. Flora Rivers at Lowell on July 1, 1909, for which he was indicted in the first degree. Judge Bond immediately sentenced him to the hospital for the criminal insane at Bridgewater.

Ferron, after killing the woman, with whom he had been living with for some time, chopped the body to pieces with an axe. He tried to give himself up to the Nashua police and then attempted suicide by jumping into the canal at Lowell. He was captured in Quebec.

The murdered woman's name is actually Florida LaRiviere and I have yet to figure out if this Henri connects to our Ferron line. I should note that the only Henri Ferron that I have in my database is Joseph Neree Ferron, son of Claude and Georgiana Rabouin, born 25 Aug 1891 in St-Paulin, Maskinonge, Quebec. Neree married Rose Anna Gauthier in 1909. This couple, according to my databse, had 7 children. Neree died in on 25 Feb 1955 at his home in Dracut.

The Death Notice of Mrs. Theophile Courtois, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1915

Published in The Lowell Sun November 6th 1915, pg. 9.

Courtois -- Mrs. Theophile Courtois nee Victoria Montbleau, aged 37 years, died this noon at her home, 175 Hall street. She leaves her husband and nine children.

Published in The Lowell Sun November 8th 1915 pg. 1.

COURTOIS -- The funeral of Mrs. Theophile Courtois took place this morning from her home, 175 Hall street. Solemn high mass of requiem was celebrated at St. Jean Baptiste church at 8 o'clock by Augustin Graton, O.M.I., assisted by Rev. Joseph Denis, O.M.I., as deacon and Rev. Joseph Bolduc, O.M.I., as sub deacon. The bearers were Adelard Montbleau, Gedeon Lariviere, Napoleon Daigle, Arthur, Napoleon and Charles Courtois. Burial was in St. Joseph's Cemetery where the commital prayers were read by Rev. Antoine Amyot., O.M.I. Funeral arrangements were in charge of Undertaker Joseph Albert.